Chapter Twelve
Georgiana sat on her favorite bench at the Bird Sanctuary. She’d not had any desire to leave her house, but somehow had let Mary persuade her into coming here. Perhaps her maid had grown so weary of hearing Georgiana weep that she couldn’t stand it anymore and for once showed her temper.
Georgiana had been so taken aback that she’d agreed simply so Mary would calm herself. If the maid had suffered an apoplexy on Georgiana’s account, the guilt would have done her it.
Guilt.
Hadn’t Percy mentioned that as a large reason for his staying with the dowager? Had Georgiana been too hard on him? She’d brushed aside his words, but… She glanced over at Mary, who was feeding bread crumbs to some ducks. Guilt certainly could be a strong motivator to do things one would rather not.
He’d told her to examine her heart for the truth. She remembered his kisses and embraces. The way he’d touched her skin and whispered endearments. She had felt an instant connection with him the first time they met. Georgiana was sure, sure that he’d felt it too. Not just by what he said or did, but by how he seemed when with her. She couldn’t even quite explain it to herself, but the two of them… it was as if they’d been made for each other.
They simply fit together.
Did any of that really matter? Even if he forgave her for tossing him from her home, if his story was true, then he was stuck. Stuck in his home with that awful woman. And who knew how long it might take for her to recover her right mind?
What if she never did?
She watched Mary for a few more minutes as she fed the ducks. Would Georgiana’s short leave from the house to visit the sanctuary appease her angry maid?
Mary tensed as if something startled her and glanced toward a grove of trees on the other side of the pond. Had she seen some animal that frightened her? Though the ones Georgiana usually saw were quite small. Rabbits, squirrels, and of course birds. Mary poured out the contents of her bag and without a backward glance at her employer, took off walking at a fast clip in the opposite direction.
How odd.
She had no desire to run after Mary and retrieve her so they could return home. No, ever since all of the unpleasantness had begun with Percy and the dowager, Georgiana had felt as if all her strength had flowed out through her toes, leaving her listless.
In that case, I’ll just wait here. She can’t walk around the sanctuary all day.
She sat and listened to the warbler sing in a tree right above the bench. Georgiana closed her eyes. The bird’s sweet song lulled her into a near sleep. How pleasant to just sit. If she was lucky, maybe she’d fall asleep and dream of Percy.
The sound of footsteps registered somewhere in her mind, but she cared not enough to open her eyes. Whoever it was would surely—
“Ah… It seems I’ve discovered a lovely maiden in the middle of a nap.”
Percy?
Georgiana’s eyes flew open and she gasped. It was true! “Why are you here?”
He sat down, uninvited, and angled around so that he partially faced her. “It seemed a lovely day for a visit to my favorite spot. And of course to visit with my favorite lady.”
She lowered her eyebrows. “How did you know I would be here today?”
“Your maid.”
“But—”
“If one offers enough incentive, it often spurs people to do one’s bidding.”
“You paid my maid? Again?”
“Well, yes.”
Georgiana fumed. Of all the nerve! Thinking he could force the issue with her to try to worm his way back into her heart. But wait… How could he even be here? Be away from his house and the dowager? “But why are you… I mean, how could you leave home?”
“There’s where the story gets interesting, Lady Peregrine.”
“I told you not to call—”
He grabbed her hand, not giving her a chance to pull away. “If you would please just listen to what I have to say?”
She struggled in his grasp. “I don’t—”
He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, and a warm sensation went up her arm straight to her heart. “Please. Just listen. If after I’m finished you still wish to not be of my acquaintance, then…” He swallowed. “Then I will honor your wishes.” He tilted his head and waited.
Oh how she longed to reach up and touch his face, stroke his cheek. But no, that wouldn’t do. With a nod, since she couldn’t seem to form the words, she agreed.
He sighed and then smiled. “Thank you. Now, you already know the first part of the story… that the dowager fell, hit her head, and then mistook me for her… her husband.”
Not trusting her voice to come out as anything other than a sob, she simply nodded.
“What you didn’t know was what happened yesterday after I left your house.”
She took a deep breath, wanting to apologize for how she’d acted yet feeling that it would be wrong to say she was sorry when she really hadn’t been.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?” One side of his mouth rose.
Familiar warm feelings flowed through Georgiana’s mind as she remembered his quick wit and odd sense of humor. “Aren’t you going to just go ahead and tell me anyway?”
He chuckled. “Well yes. That was the plan.” He winked. “Anyway, when I returned home, she — that is the dowager…” He cleared his throat. “She seemed to be in deep distress because of my hasty departure. The guilt crept in anew and—”
“Oh I know how—”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “Please let me finish, for I fear if I do not say the words, I might expire from the need to express them.”
She smiled. “All right.”
“As I said, the guilt threatened to overtake me. So when she requested… when she asked me, begged me for an embrace, I felt I couldn’t refuse.”
“I… see.”
“As I knelt on the floor next to where she lay, and she wrapped her arms around me…”
Her stomach clenched. Oh the agony of picturing Percy in the arms of another!
“She pulled me close and addressed me.”
Georgiana frowned. “What do you mean? Did she call you darling again as she did when I was there?” The memory tore another small piece of her heart away.
“She did call me that, But also—”
“What? What did she call you?” Georgiana chastised herself. She’d been so adamant about not speaking, about holding onto her hurt and anger. But she couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand not to know!
He reached for her other hand and now held them both. The warmth of the gesture, in thoughtfulness along with actual warmth from his skin nearly caused her to weep. “Georgiana, what I mean to say is she said my name.”
“Pardon?”
“My name. She called me Percy.”
“But—”
“At first it didn’t hit me, the significance of it. But when I asked her about it, she became defensive, saying I’d been mistaken. That she hadn’t said it. I began to despair that I’d have no way of proving it when an angel by way of Amelia entered with Conrad.”
Georgiana smiled in spite of herself. “I like Amelia.”
“Me too.” He grinned.
“And what… what did Amelia say?”
“She’d been suspicious of her mother-in-law from the start. From some things she told me afterward, the two have always had a tempestuous relationship. That Miriam didn’t possess one positive attribute or trait.”
“Go on.”
“Amelia came right out and demanded that Miriam speak the truth. So she did.”
“And what was it? The truth, I mean.”
“Miriam definitely had a plan in mind, a reason for what she did for her scheme.”
“Tell me.” Before I expire from not knowing.
“It seems, my dear Georgiana, that Miriam desired me.”
Georgiana waited for more. When there wasn’t anything forthcoming, she tapped her boot against the gra
ss. “And…”
“That’s it.”
“She did all of that, caused all of the harm and told lies simply because she desired you?”
“You don’t think that’s good enough reason? Woman, you wound me.”
“Of course I think you’re desirable.”
He smirked.
“But… it just doesn’t seem like something a person would go to all the trouble to…” Her words died off when she realized how it sounded. “Oh, I didn’t mean that you’re not—”
“Perhaps, just perhaps, I need to refresh your memory.”
“Of what?”
“Of how I can make you feel.”
“Oh.” She blinked. “I—”
He tugged her hard against his chest, which caused her to gasp. With the force of the embrace, she’d expected his kiss to be hard and quick. Instead, it was so soft, so gentle Georgiana nearly melted into the seat of the bench. His lips traveled over hers in a sensual dance of want and need, love and promises. Her heart raced, and she pressed closer to him.
“Well!”
The exclamation from a few feet away startled Georgiana. She pulled apart from Percy. That same large woman and skinny man from before stood on the path, staring.
Oh good heavens…
The woman grabbed the man by the arm. “Come away, Mr. Smyth. You shouldn’t be watching such disgusting behavior.” The woman harrumphed and turned, tugging him in her wake. But before they’d gotten very far down the path, Mr. Smyth peeked over his shoulder. And winked.
Amusement overtook Georgiana, starting in her belly and climbing up until laughter bubbled out from her lips. She turned to Percy to see if he’d been as startled as she. His face was red, but she didn’t think it was from embarrassment at being caught doing that in public.
No, he was shaking. Trying to hold in laughter as well. He sputtered, obviously unable to contain his mirth. He offered her his handkerchief, and she giggled as she wiped her eyes. She handed it back and he wiped his eyes before stowing the cloth back in his pocket.
Georgiana swiped at a stray tear. “Well, that was certainly… uh…”
“Indeed.” He took her hand again. “Georgiana, when I kissed you, I was, that is, did it convince you that…”
“That you’re desirable enough for the dowager to have pulled a scheme in order to ensnare you? Oh. My. Yes.”
He laughed. “Thank you for the compliment, Lady Peregrine.”
“You know, even though I told you not to address me as such, I actually do like it.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Why?”
“I’m afraid the term just won’t do any more.” He shook his head sadly.
“Why not?”
“Because soon, very soon, I’ll be able to call you Mrs. Radcliff.”
As Percy pulled her to him for a gentle kiss, Georgiana’s heart soared. She had indeed found the man of her heart.
Her love bird.
The End.
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Also by Ruth J. Hartman
Love Birds of Regent’s Park
Lucy Ashbrook finds a pleasant diversion when she visits the Regent's Park Bird Sanctuary to sketch the different birds that live there. Birds aren't the only pleasing things she finds, though. A certain Sanctuary worker, Oliver Barrow, has stolen her heart. But Lucy's father will have none of it. No daughter of his will marry a common laborer.
Oliver Barrow loves everything about his work at the Sanctuary. The birds, the trees, the ponds... a certain young miss who mesmerizes him. Miss Ashbrook is beautiful and sweet and shares his love of birds. But Oliver has a secret that just might get in the way of anything more than friendship developing between them. And he can't share that secret with her. Not yet.
How can Lucy convince her father of Oliver's worth? That love isn't just for the birds?
The Unwanted Earl
Amelia Talbot has been issued a death sentence. At least it feels that way. The thought of marrying a man old enough to be her grandfather sends her into a panic. So much so that she sets off on a desperate search to find another man to marry her — quickly.
Conrad Croome, the Fifth Earl of Lofton, knows all too well that blackmail isn’t the way to form a marriage. How ironic that one Amelia Talbot uses a Croome family secret he’d thought long buried to force him to marry her.
Is Conrad doomed to a life of marriage based on an exposed secret, or could Amelia learn to love an unwanted earl?
A Courtship for Cecilia
Cecilia Fletcher yearns for true love with the man of her heart. A life of her own away from her demanding mother would be an added benefit. But in order to do that, Cecilia must live a lie, making it necessary to use a false name in order to hide a family secret.
Barrington Radcliff was betrayed by a woman who he thought loved him. Because of that, trust is hard to willingly give. When he meets pretty Cecilia Fleming, his heart wants to give her a chance. Something about her doesn’t ring true, but Barrington allows love to overrule his good judgment.
Can Cecilia and Barrington get past their hurt and secrets long enough to find true love?
About the Author
Bestselling author Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning sweet romantic tales that make you smile, giggle, or laugh out loud. She, her husband, and their three cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats, Maxwell, Roxy, and Remmie, sit in the people's recliners. Not that the cats couldn't get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else's. You know how selfish those little furry creatures can be.
Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, Jeep driving, farmhouse-dwelling romance writer uses her goofy sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women and the men who adore them. Ruth's husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her in spite of her penchant for insisting all of her books have at least one cat in them. Or twelve. But hey, who's counting?
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